Servant of God

Sister Blandina

Sister Blandina born on the 23^rd of May 1850 and died on the 23^rd of February 1941 was an Italian-born American Sister of Charity of Cincinnati and missionary, who became widely known through her service in Trinidad Colorado, Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico in the late 1800’s. During her missionary work, she met, among others, Billy the Kid and the leaders of the Native American tribes of the Apache and Comanche. She served as an educator and social worker who worked in Ohio and the Southwest, assisting Native Americans, Hispanic settlers and European immigrants. She is the foundress of the catholic school system, and hospitals in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Without the pioneering efforts of Sister Blandina, New Mexico would have found itself set back.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe has opened a process to canonize Sister Blandina, for which it has received the permission of the Holy See. For this, she is honored by the Catholic Church with the title of Servant of God. She is the only other individual (Saint Katherine Drexel) in New Mexico's 400-year history with the Roman Catholic Church to have a cause opened for their beatification and canonization.

She and five other sisters came to Albuquerque in 1881 at the request of Father Donato Gasparri. The Jesuits has been teaching in Albuquerque since 1875 and the Sisters of Charity were to take over that responsibility. The sisters opened the first public school on September 21, 1881, dedicating it to Our Lady of the Angels. Because the school was a public one, the sister’s salary was paid by the town. Each sister would be paid $12.00 a month. Later on, the sisters, along with the Jesuits, would help to stablish a boarding school for girls (Saint Vincent’s Academy), the Parish School, and Saint Joseph’s Hospital.

A small building attached to the church, which the Sisters of Loretto built, was to be their convent. Unfortunately, the building was in ruins, a new convent was constructed starting on March 3, 1881. It was the first two-story building made of adobe. During its construction one corner of the building kept collapsing due to the weather. Sister Blandina contracted an Italian stonecutter from Santa Fe to help lay a foundation and carry the stonework halfway above the first story.

Sister Blandina served in the American Southwest until 1891. She kept a journal of her adventures in the southwest. Her sister, Sister Justina help to publish her journal in 1932 under the title At the End of the Santa Fe Trail. The book is still being published to this day.
Sister Blandina’s cause for canonization was official opened on June 29, 2014. Is the second person, after Saint Catherine Drexel, to have served the people of New Mexico and be up for canonization.

Let us pray
Oh God, who's sweet name “Geus” (Jesus) was
the first word to roll off the innocent lips of your
servant, Maria Rosa Segale, hear our prayer.
The word Jesus rolled off her lips for 91
years as she built schools, hospitals,
and institutions, welcoming all
and introducing them
to your love and hope.
She cared for the immigrant, the
innocent children, the guilty outlaw; always
recognizing the dignity of the human being. We
beg you that Sister Blandina Segale now be counted
among the Saints of Holy Mother Church and
that our hearts be open to always praise your
name as your servant Maria Rosa Segale did unto
her last breath. May we do as she on her deathbed;
whisper “Gesu,” smile, and die in you.

Amen.
 

Sainthood Supported for Sister Blandina
Nun Opened Schools, Hospitals in New Mexico

Published by the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico November 17, 2016

         The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted this week to support the cause for sainthood for Sister Blandina Segale, an Italian-born nun who heled open schools and hospitals in New Mexico territory and reputedly stood up to Billy the Kid.

          The work is complete on this side of the Atlantic, and now the decision rest with the Vatican.

          “The rest of the work continues in Rome,” said Allen Sanchez, president of the CHI St. Joseph’s Children, which petitioned for Segale’s cause for canonization – the prosses the Catholic Church uses to declare someone a saint.

          Archbishop of Santa Fe John C. Wester offered Segale’s biography on Wednesday to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which voted unanimously to support her cause.

          But before Segale can be canonized as a saint, the Vatican must recognize two miracles preformed by her intercession since her death in 1941, Sanchez Said

          “Usually what takes a long time in canonization is waiting for miracles,” he said.

          Only about 5 percent of causes submitted to the Vatican obtain the two required miracles, Sanchez said based on his conversations with Vatican officials. In fact, only about half obtain a single miracle.

          The Vatican conducted an inquiry into possible miracles that involve a religious investigation of evidence, Kind of like a courts case,” Sanchez said.

          In Segale’s favor, Church officials have knowledge of no fewer then five cases which may be shown to be miracles involving her intersession, Sanchez said.

          All involved people who survived medical conditions considered incurable. Sanchez said he couldn’t discus the cases before they are investigated by the church.

“Sister Blandina,: as she is usually known, was born in Italy in 1850 and immigrated with her family to the U.S. at age 4.

          A nun with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, she was transferred in 1877 to Trinidad, Colo., and later to Santa Fe, where she cofounded public and Catholic schools, worked with the poor, the sick and immigrants, and advocated on behalf of Hispanics and Native Americans.

          According to one story, Segale treated a member of Billy the kid’s gang and later convinced the outlaw to break off a planned attack in Trinidad.

          If canonized, Segale likely will be patron Saint for poor children, immigrants, and health care and railroad workers, with whom she worked in the territory, Sanchez said.

          “She is a great hope and example for our time,” Sanchez said. An immigrant from a poor family, “she advocated for the poor. She built hospitals and orphanages with very little money. That’s the real hope for us, regardless if she becomes a saint or not.”